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Be Kind. Do Good. Love is a Verb.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

For Sale by Owner...Review

About the book:Filled with plans, McKenzie Forsberg returns to her hometown to spend Christmas with her family. Stressed by a year of intense, ongoing problems, she quit her high-powered job to move back and rebuild her life. Kenzie desperately needs the peace and security she is sure will come from buying the home she grew up in. But when she arrives, Kenzie discovers that a handsome widower, Jared Rawlins, has already put an offer on the house. However, he can only close the deal if he sells his own house by Christmas Eve.When Kenzie unexpectedly runs into a couple who are considering buying Jared’s house, she unthinkingly gives them information that changes their mind. Jared is more than a little interested in Kenzie, but has second thoughts when it appears Kenzie may have attempted to sabotage the sale of his home. Feeling bad, Kenzie apologizes but the damage may be too much for their relationship to overcome. Despite themselves, sparks of attraction grow into something more. Then, a few days before Christmas, Kenzie makes a stunning discovery about her past. In that moment, everything changes. Will the power of love be enough to bring Jared and Kenzie together and allow them to find their happily ever after?

After a difficult divorce and an employment change, McKenzie wants to move back to her hometown with her daughter and buy her childhood home, currently owned by her brother and for sale. Kenzie arrives only to discover that her brother has sold the house to Jared, because McKenzie never expressed an interest in purchasing it herself.

McKenzie is a trainwreck and for most of the book, she's a caricature of whiny selfishness. Seriously, I couldn't find any real redeeming qualities in her, and I could only muster up minimal sympathy. The story revolves around Kenzie trying to convince her brother and Jared to let her have the house anyway. She and her daughter stay with her parents, but her relationship with her father is strained because of hurtful words said years before. Honestly, her father was another person who had no redeeming qualities. One of the things I hate about life, whether it's real or fictional, is characters who deliberately misunderstand and miscommunicate. For most of this story I just rolled my eyes.

Towards the end though as the story finally coaleces together, there are predictable lessons, but surprising depths about forgiveness. My favorite parts were where McKenzie's daughter and Jared's son were together. Their faith in Christmas miracles was sweet.

The LDS elements are light, the story is clean and isn't preachy. It's a light, easy read. The cookie recipes are a nice bonus.

Thanks to the author and Covenant Communications for the opportunity to spotlight this book. You can learn more about Marlene Bateman on her website. You can purchase your own copy here.

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